A Perfect Pair of Goggles

Every swimmer knows that it takes years to find the perfect pair of goggles. When you do find them, you need to buy out the store (either physically or online) where you found them; at least ten pairs! That way, you know you are safe in case they stop manufacturing that model. Sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it?

All swimming shops are packed with different types of goggles, but they are all, well, crap. The price tag is no indication of protection from crap. In fact, my experience has been that the more expensive the goggles, the less useful they are.

These are the absolute best ones I found that work for me: Swedish Goggles Malmsten. This brand is similar to IKEA in that you get a package with parts which you put together yourself, resulting in the perfect pair of goggles.

The invention of these goggles has a very interesting history. Over thirty-five years ago, the famous Swedish swimming coach, Tommy Malmsten, was training a very promising swimmer, Ann-Sofi Roos. Roos suffered from very sensitive skin around her eyes, largely due to allergies and eczema. Being not only a great coach, but also a problem solver, Malmsten developed a pair of swim goggles that did not have the commonly-used foam around the lenses – just plastic.

Sarah Sjöström in Malmsten goggles

These goggles quickly became the favorites among the Swedish National swim team. Indeed, the brand is so ubiquitous in Swedish swimming that it has become a common ritual of elite swimmers to assemble their goggles before an important swim meet.

Professional Swedish swimmers introduced Malmsten goggles the USA and the rest of Europe. Malmsten AB manufactures the goggles for companies such as Speedo, on whose packaging is printed, ´original Swedish goggles by Malmsten´. Other companies have tried to copy them; ARENA has recently come out with a model that they call ´Swedish elite competition´ and HEAD offers a cheaper “Classic Swedish competition goggles” also. Malmsten’s design is arguably the world’s most copied among swim goggles, not to mention the most inexpensive in elite swimwear.